Team helps roughsleepers home

Seven people across the district have already benefited since Kirklees Council and social care charity Crime Reduction Initiative (CRI) teamed up in June.

The reconnection scheme offers support to rough sleepers from the UK and overseas.

When CRI started helping homeless people more than seven years ago, its work focused on giving rough sleepers the chance to return to their home town.

But in recent years, the charity has found more central and eastern Europeans coming forward for support with some wanting to return to their country of origin.

North and Midlands CRI director Mark Moody said: “Reconnection provides an opportunity for migrants for whom things have gone wrong to be reunited with family and friends, and to escape from unemployment and rough sleeping.

“People assisted through the service are often desperate to return home but do not have the financial means to do so.

“Many are also vulnerable due to the circumstances under which they have lived in the UK; some have experienced exploitation and many suffer the effects commonly associated with homelessness like poor mental health and alcohol dependency.”

Rough sleepers who are not eligible for benefits can be offered the chance to get a flight back home and if they accept, CRI helps arrange replacement travel documents and support when they get there.

Councils like Kirklees can also use their Homeless Prevention Fund to cover transport costs.

Coun Shabir Pandor, cabinet member for housing, added: “This initiative is important as it offers people who find themselves in this unfortunate situation the support they may need to return home. It is beneficial to their health and wellbeing and also helps improve community safety in Kirklees.

“Our staff are committed to supporting this and other work that prevents people from becoming homeless in Kirklees.”